It's road course time as the Sprint Cup Series travels to Sonoma, CA for an event at the Infineon Raceway.
Lindsay Czarniak hosts the pre-race Countdown to Green show with Kyle Petty and Larry McReynolds on the TNT infield stage. Jimmie Johnson is the guest interview. Parnelli Jones is the subject of the Pride of NASCAR feature. Wally's World features a course description.
Adam Alexander returns to call this race, his first road course event in this role. Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach will be alongside. On pit road will be Matt Yocum, Marty Snider, Ralph Sheheen and Phil Parsons.
This event can be interesting or incredibly boring. Either way, the TV crew has to work hard to follow the racing action on the track and the strategy stories unfolding on pit road.
The elevation changes make the track tough for TV, but a good rhythm from the director can make the laps fun to watch. Aerial shots are great on this track and low-angle speed shots are actually great under green flag conditions.
There are often cars out on very different fuel strategies. This is also the track where pitting just before a caution comes out can change the entire race for one team. It's a road course.
This post will serve to host your comments on the TNT coverage of the Sprint Cup Series from Infineon Raceway. To add your TV-related comments, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting. Thanks for stopping by.
163 comments:
Happy Race Day Planeteers!
Happy Father's Day to our Daddy Planeteers :) <3
OOPs, family show here dude!
Kick it JD.
Hey all! This should be good. We are talking NASCAR TV here today.
JD
Can anybody please tell me when race Buddy Starts? They are looking at me hard here at Starbucks and may kick me out soon unless a buy something.
Anyone got a spare 3 dollars for a cup of coffee. LOL
TNT starts RaceBuddy around 30 minutes before the race broadcast. That should be 2:20PM ET.
race buddy is up and running well. it is on now. enjoy the race all.
OK, thanks, I have time to go to another place with free internet. Maybe McDonald's. The Starbucks people want me to buy something.
McDonald's will be cheaper.
Looking forward to the race.
Like the picture of Matt's qualifying in the car with the flat tire! Don't know how much of this I'll watch seem to have come down with a summer cold. Watching the beginning of the IRL race hope they have a good one over there too.
Wow, Race Buddy is on and so cool.
Nice picture. Make the TV seem very limited on what they can send us. This is def the future now. I love it and it's free.
Starbucks dude came over and asked if I needed anything and I showed him the race on my laptop. He thought that was cool so now he is talking to the manager about me I think.
Happy race day to everyone. Trying RaceBuddy for the first time right now. :)
Oh so cool.. I though RaceBuddy was audio only :(
Wait until the race gets rolling. Live pit reporter and updates from Lindsay. Awesome aerial views too!
Nascar was really good late in the NNS race yesterday about having cars spin out and not throw the caution. I hope for the same consistency today.
I just wish that on the oval tracks Nascar didn't throw the caution as soon as a car got sideways off the track, when the driver could likely get it going again quickly. Of course they'll stall in the grass to bring out the caution anyway, but if a precedent is set, that problem will sort itself out.
Sorry, rant over, hope we have a good race today. Prerace is off to a good start!
And as others have said on another site, Dish's TNT HDTV's audio is out of sync. Ok when there's a commercial. So watching on 'non' HD where it's ok.
Get rid of the dishes and watch free. I'm at a Starbucks watching on my laptop. Race Buddy is doing a great job of pre-race stuff. You never get to see all this and in really makes the race more exciting than seeing a couple of red necks on Fox sitting in a box talking about nothing.
Turner is changing the way we view racing!
Did you know tonight is the 2 hour season premiere of Leverage on TNT?
If not, I suspect you soon will.
I thought we would be getting pounded with Conan promos right now.
Nice flyover!
It's 2 PM - TNT
As for the National Anthem -- there's a summons to the Oval Office.
Just hooked the laptop to the bigscreen to check this RaceBuddy out more. So funny, the more things become wireless, the more wires to hook up. Lol.
What a terrible excuse for the national anthem. Pathetic.
Did Bruton just have a national TV commercial for tickets to Loudon?
Seems kind of late for that.
Starbucks manager heard the singing from my computer and came over and asked if I needed anything. I told him I was working on my college music project. That Anthem really got his attention.
Ah, the CGI "Turn 2" sign is back. sigh
Wow, they are using those stupid corner graphics again.
At least ESPN's when they used to use them for IndyCar looked legit...
Can't use race buddy with Hughes Sat internet..it'll put me over the 'PAP' usage.
At least the Toyota dealer board president was a good sport about nobody caring who he was.
Nice, Kyle is going to do it! In NW but fun nonetheless
Shame MW55 missed the race because of the paint scheme, but I dont feel too terribly bad for MW himself.
Maybe they should have stuck the wrap on the 66?
18 lined up on wrong side...
Asking NASCAR what they should do
Kyle Busch has Pedigree dog food on board his car today. No offense, but Pedigree gives my Aussie Shepherd really bad gas! LOL.
JohnP--yuppers awesome pictures, own dedicated Pit Reporter, just the best.thing.evah! They usually have it up during TNTs Pre-Race show and depending on the track there are fun pre-race activities to watch and they also do interviews of drivers and others. Jim interviewed Roger Craig earlier on Race Buddy :). Last year they had the trick Red Bull copter :) and that was fun to watch during the Pre-Race stuff :)
#teamCoCo <3
LOL @Bobby
Paul--PAP usage?
John, I've never really seen TBS commercials on TNT.
TNT has there own slate of Summer programming that they can promo the heck out of.
David . . . .I was going to suggest just changing the #55 to a #66 and starting at the back for switching to a "backup" car.
It's not like it matters which car is which at that outfit.
1 and 38 lined up wrong, screwed up Kyle Busch and others
Jen, they spent sooooo much money on Conan, I thought they would jam him down our throats.
Today's anthem singer is an absolute doll. Robin Meade is a bundle of energy and she was really easy to talk to.
Yes, in case you haven't guessed, I'm among the media minions here at Infineon...
Interesting fact to note: They have a crew of 10 people working with Meade on her adventures here at Sonoma.
JD,
I suspect Conan can't appear in the promos yet because of the NBC exclusivity arrangement. So they'd need Conan promos without Conan.
Ahhh no boogity boogity
Yeah I think Anon is right about that deal between NBC/Conan. I don't think they can at the moment.
The start of the race was interesting until JJ took the lead.
I meant FAP 'Fair Access Policy' Only allow so many mB download per 24 hours. Or you speed slows down to a crawl for a day or so. UNLESS you REALLY want to pay a lot more.
Love the overhead shot of the start. It really shows how twisty the course is!
18 wants to go to garage put new nose on it
Two things
The race just got more interesting, maybe someone can pass JJ now.
I am not going to go see Piranha 3D.
This would have been the perfect local caution situation, rather than full course.
Will we have Race Buddy when ESPN takes over? Slow here at Starbucks so the manager and his helper are watching the race with me. gave me a left over Fraffe or whatever it is it's good.
Man, you couldn't pay me enough to be one of those cameramen hanging from the cranes!
Go Marcus, show JJ how it's done.
Sally-You are 100% correct. Nascar should not run road courses if they are afraid to use sector yellows.
NASCAR.com really needs to do something about their servers for this million dollar game because once the race starts you can't even get changes entered because the page crashes or takes forever and a day to load
As this subject comes up everytime we run a road course:
At one time Nascar used sector/local cautions. I don't know why that is no longer the case; but, it has been used. :)
@Paul--hmmmmmmm...I've never had that problem I have no idea what my settings/limits/usage are (have RoadRunner-Time Warner Cable). All I know is that I have the "turbo boost" upgrade for free and have never had an issue. I watch everything online since I don't have a TV right now.
@Roadsurfer--nope :( FOX and BSPN have passed on doing RaceBuddy. IIRC what JD mentioned a few weeks back they have to pay a fee to Turner for that which they apparently didn't want to do.
So Rick Hendrick is paying the bill for the #09 this week? Interesting with those Kahne rumors out there.
NASCAR needs to step in an make the networks offer Race Buddy. Will it just go away until next year? This is a great way to take racing back to where it was as ESPN is a cable only network and Fox is a US network and the internet let's the world watch.
Wendy Venturini is working for PRN in the pits today.
Hendrick and Finch is nothing new, who do you think built that car that Brad Keselowski won with at Talladega last year?
I think the 48 needs to be black flagged so NASCAR can check his car out during the race ;-p
Still watching race Buddy here at Starbucks. manager likes me so he gave me a job app. Hum, free wireless, free coffee, now that's a perk.
Race Buddy Rocks.
The whole world is watching!
Credit where credit is due, That was some good driving by Denny and some good spotting I'm sure by his spotter.
18 finally back on track 33 laps down
Nice recap but boring racing. Wah..
Is it bad that the "battle" camera on RB is not showing battles but instead aerials of Sonoma?
Hey everyone.. not a good race a little boring but hey its all good this goes to show why we love Nascar cause road coarse racing is somewhat boring!!! Just like most other series!
I can't remember the last time a road race was this dull. Either the Cup guys have gotten much better at road courses, or not many are willing to push too hard.
Blaney was still running? Wow
David,
It's not an oval. One camera cannot follow a group of cars around the track.
Consider me a RaceBuddy convert. Still hate the name, can't complain about the content. Streaming a secondhand feed of ESPN is going to feel so clunky compared to this.
Only 1 start and park today, the 07.
It is still early, I expect the last 30 or so laps to get intense.
I disagree with saying road racing is boring period though, not true.
I understand JD, but what I am saying is they were showing NOTHING except scenery, nothing even remotely close to the racetrack. No cars whatsoever. Not much of a battle cam...
David,
They have been subbing the aerial shot because that is the only cam that can show the whole track.
Thanks.
They are now hopping around showing action. Just saying figured they would find something because showing the whole track shouldn't be more important than showing passing.
Bout to get crazy......
I can understand Fox and ESPN not wanting RaceBuddy. They do not want eyes away from their broadcast and commercials. (Shhh, they don't know about DVR or other types of recording)
Speaking of commercials:
I don't drink coffee; so, maybe I'm missing something........why are we having a coffee house commercial on here today? ;)
Stuttering Kyle Petty is outta control !
Un-listen-able !!
Am I the only one that is bothered by Petty and his stuttering ?
Stick my foot in my moth story during the Red Flag.
I got the chance once to meet some NASCAR officials around 1990 and asked one of them why the races went to road courses when it seemed to be an oval, southern sport. The man explained to me why Road courses were important, how he use to run one and he made all was clear. That man was Les Richter a true pioneer in racing, God bless him and Ray Fox. two all time racing greats!
Media center just got flooded by a smoking car setting off fire sprinklers
Well whether this comment is published or not - Petty and Dallenbach are so bad its scary. Even if they could speak in words and sentences they struggle analyzing the race in any fashion outside of generic situational NASCAR cliches.
Remember folks that Boris and Frankie Stoddard are long-time business partners, not the normal driver/crew chief relationship.
I kind of agree, I think Kyle Petty and Wally are too much alike to really make for a great booth. Last year Kyle was more fan interactive and that was fun, also he had a strong personality leading things in Weber. Now with Adam, Kyle and Wally just sound wayyyy too much alike.
TNT is still the leader of the pack, and I can deal with the booth since my sound is actually pretty down and overruled by scanners lol.
@David - The #07 has spent time behind the wall, but it rejoined the race shortly after Kyle Busch did. As far as I know, they're still in the race.
@Ken-Michigan - I noticed that Kyle often starts talking and just goes "And... and... and..." before he actually says what he has to say. Like his mouth gets going before his brain engages.
MV, I did notice the 07 came out after the 66 blew up. Therefore I figure they will probably call it a day after they pass him so Robby doesn't lose a race car.
#66 Dave Blaney back in the race.
I really enjoy the TNT races. Although not my favorite tracks, they are my favorite network.
Kyle Petty has a stammer, so does Jeff Gordon, so do a lot of people. Doesn't bother me.
Something you didn't see from the red flag (not that TV would show it, anyway)...
The media center building at Infineon is a short distance from the starting line, but the smoke from the wreck not only activated the building's alarm, but one of the sprinkler heads on the top floor as well.
No panic, no worries.
I probably should not say so, but I prefer watching the race on Race Buddy to TV since there are more views, which gives me the choic of what I want to focus on.
Wonder whether Parsons' car knocking the car of Tommy Baldwin (Race Hub interviewee this week) out of qualifying for the race had anything to do with how long Blaney ran. I suspect Baldwin might have planned to actually race since he had a ringer in the car?
Correct to say Frankie and Boris are going to roll the dice and not pit again?
Running in P2 right now.
Rather see Watkins Glen than Sonoma. Just a too narrow track for these big cars. The Glen is fun to watch.
42 admitted it. Said Joey was trying to run him off track.
That was the stupidest caution today, no reason for a flag
I really wish they had a road course in the crapshoot.
This track should have kept the old configuration, the carousel was one of the most exciting turns.
JD, true. Plus with the upgrades at the Glen this year it should have less cautions then we're used to seeing since the gravel has pretty much been eliminated there.
Honestly yesterday's track might make for a sporty Cup track....
But for what Bruton has spent on this place, it AINT goin' no where
Nascar will take any reason for a caution to bunch the field. The objectivity of the announcers is seriously compromised. Are there any real journalists left?
I am not a fan of stock cars on road courses. I like them for the open wheelers but not stock cars. And there is no real good way for tv to cover all the action at a road course due to the layout. but, it is what it is and i have gotten used to it.
66 is still running, 36 was blank so they probably weren't. No true start and parks today though Nemecheck may be done or waiting on a set of tires.
David,
NASCAR has come to Sonoma for 22 years now. It's easily one of the most popular stops, even if the course drives some of the drivers nuts.
But, sure do wish Race Buddy showed replays.
New shift just came in and told me I had to leave the Starbucks.
Must be the shorts and old t shirt that says Jeff Gordon on it.
Well it was good while it lasted.
Thanks you all for putting up with me today.
I had a great time.
Tom, I don't disagree with you at all and I never said it was in danger of losing a race. I am just saying even if it was, Bruton Smith has spent over 75 million on this place so he isn't going to lose that date no matter what.
Getting near the time to remind everyone of the incident in the hairpin between Davey Allison and Ricky Rudd.
Rudd spun out Davey, took the lead, then had the win taken away.
Wasn't that Irvin that spun Davey out which gave the win to Rudd?
@David - No, Anon had it right. Davey in the #28 got spun by Rudd in the #5. Ernie was driving the #4 that year, it was in 1991.
why is Hendrick cars the sponser of the 09????
Thanks MV, I just went and looked it up. I thought Irvin was involved for some reason since he found quite a bit of trouble in those days.
Again, caution for what? A spin?
I have to agree, local yellows need to be more utilized. About 7 or 8 years ago they stopped using them and it's annoying. They just like the chaos of the double files now.
@Jonathan - Hendrick has supplied cars and engines to Phoenix Racing whenever they weren't planning on starting & parking. Remember Brad Keselowski's win at Talladega last year?
Jonathan,
The rumor is that Hendrick will buy that team and run Kasey in it next season. Rumor only...but...
Jonathan, because Hendrick has been Finch's partner for a couple years now. Leases them engines and built cars/engines last year when Keselowski was in the car. HendrickCars.com was on the 87 today too.
How do you guys like Kyle and Wally on this telecast?
thanks guys! Go Ambrose
I heard DW say that Rick H said Hendrick.com gets a massive amount of online traffic when it has a car in a race. I believe it has been the sponsor at least once for the 5. I guess it could even be a trade-out deal for motors etc.
it may not be the most "professional" sounding booth but it resembles converstions in bars and living rooms all over the country.
Kyle is ok I guess today, I always like Wally!
DW says alot of things.
Hendrick has that on the 5 when it isn't sponsored. Which I believe is 6 races this year.
Wally and Kyle are okay, this is Wally's area of expertise so he is solid, Kyle sort of scooting along.
Ambrose just lit up his crew telling them to stop talking.
I have no problems with Kyle or Wally, I like the both of them.
Like someone said, it's like they are in a bar commenting on the race, which is cool.
Kyle always bothers me, I dont know why. Maybe because he tries too hard to seem "in the know". Wally is just Wally.
Another terrible broacast from TNT. Alexander does no play by play. All Wally does is scream every now and then. Non-stop commercials.
Seriously, Alexander needs to "remind" us who is in the 48 three hours into the race?
The director cuts away from cars smoking going into corners. If FOX did that there would be 20 negative comments.
Keep Lindsey though. She rocks.
Gordon using folks up today
Daly Planet Editor said...
How do you guys like Kyle and Wally on this telecast?
I don't think they are doing very well this time around. They seem to be spending a lot of time being unfocused or downright lost.
I much prefer Wally and Kyle to the Tower of Babble that Fox foists on me. Is the #24 determined to win this race no matter how he does it? I don't think I've ever seen him involved in so many 'incidents'.
Whats up w the Bristol commercials??? what they cant sell out the Sharpie 500????? Man thats not good
OK, I love the guy in the 24 car but man oh man is he making enemies today!
But he's not driving any more aggressively than some of the others on the track.
They didn't sell out the night race last year.
"Racing for a championship....happy with second place" is everything that is wrong with Nascar today. Poor TNT...a second place driver not even trying to win.
DW and Rick do go way back - to the all star team with, as I recall, Waddell Wilson building engines.
Does anyone know whether it's some sort of tradition that they bring ferris wheels in for big road races? There was one at Le Mans and one at the Daytona 24.
I like the booth on TNT. In contrast to how angry I was at the Fox booth, their commentary makes me much more relaxed and I enjoy the race when I listen to them.
NASCAR should not let him get those spots back! wow controversy...
You know there is a problem with the 48 admits it is points racing and is not trying to win. Maybe this caution will change his mind. I suspect most of the field are simply points racing and not trying to win.
Stupid mistake by Marcos. Juan called him out and said you have to maintain pace car speed
Wonder where the gas pick-up is in road course cars? Right-hand corner for ovals.
i think they should have let him take the spots back because if it was jimmie or jr they would have...they always bend the rules for the big guys (see jr.'s last win)
such bs
How did Junior get up so far? did he just manage to stay our of trouble today?
Jonathan, Bristol hasn't sold out in the last couple of seasons. Between the repaving of the track, the IROC car currently on the track and the points racing that happens at Bristol since the inception of the chase, the race there hasn't been what it once was. It was THE ticket to get and now, I wouldn't bother to go.
I'm happy I got to Bristol for the august night race BEFORE they screwed up the track.
Gina...me too. I didn't renew my season tickets this year.
Despite what Kyle & Wally say, it seems to me that it is the crew chief's job to remind the driver of the rules. Not all Ambrose's fault.
This is the toughest time for TNT. There will be tons of stuff going on. Stay wide and calm, the only way to do it.
This is going to be a fun post-race.
they tried to have a race and a battle royal has broken out today. wow!
well I can't say that I'm really happy that it was 48 getting this "gift" because marcos screwed up.
darn it.
ambrose got totally screwed
knaus weaseled him out but he knows nascar would let jimmie do the same thing no problem
i cant believe it
Let's see what happens after the checkers.
i would like to thank nascar for taking a win from marcos ambrose
Holy cow! Great for Robby Gordon...and Jr. finished 11th? Poor Marcos. Tough way to lose a race.
a great run for the 7. we needed that. a good points day made for a good finish. too bad for the 47
Remember when Marcos hit the curb on the last corner in Montreal and lost the race? Talk about karma.
Ambrose blew this race for himself. It's the rule plain and simple. I will be watching closer next time something happens like this though. This is the Greg Biffle rule after that Kansas debacle
will we get 15 minutes of post race or not??? hope so!
any of the big name drivers they would have ignored that though
and nascar always pulls stuff like that like jr.'s last win
Well, someone has to ask.
Think we will see Mr. Logano go after Mr. Montoya on TNT???
:)
Really, really like Race Buddy, but its Leaderboard seemed to be behind way too often.
Wonder how Robby would have dealt with Parsons if he'd not gotten back in the top 35 because of penalty for Kvapil(?) car?
and same thing with biffle's win at kansas
nascar has a double standard, if ur a big name driver we dont care when you break the rules as much as the smaller guys
Well my brother (the 48 fan) take on the rough driving, was, well, Jeff doesn't have any friends when he drives clean, so he may as well just drive like Montoya and not worry about it.
LOL -- I think it would be fun to see what happened if Mr. Logano tries to take on JPM!
I'm betting on the columbian
Jeff Gordon stood up and accepted the blame for a bad day and said he deserves whatever is coming to him. nice!
Racebuddy is great.
Announcing. As always these guys on their worst day then having a Waltrip.
Whats up with JEFF Gordon wrecking everyone to get through the race. That was ridiculous.
The Aussie screwed up plain and simple. The difference between other things presented they didn't pass they guy dropping back.
It would be funny to see Joey be tough guy with Montoya.
I wonder if the Senior Logano is there?
Can you imagine anyone else besides Jeff Gordon saying it was their fault?
Usually race car drivers all blame some one else for the problems.
One reason I'm a fan.
Sorry for Marcos though, but what was he thinking about stopping on the track?
Well, give some credit to TNT. They stayed, interviewed multiple drivers and got almost everyone except Marcos that they needed to talk to.
Good for Marcos coming out to be interviewed
Marcos taking his lumps like a man. said he never should have shut off the car. Another driver accepting responsibility. what is up with that?
Thanks everyone! Head back to the main page and give us a wrap-up comment for TNT at Sonoma.
Thanks for hanging with us today.
JD
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